Four employees of LeMan, a Turkish satirical magazine, were arrested after publishing a cartoon that many allege depicts the Prophet Muhammad, a figure whose representation is forbidden in Islam. The arrests were condemned by Turkey's interior minister, Ali Yerlikaya, who characterized the drawing as "shameless." The detained individuals include the magazine's editor-in-chief and its cartoonist, while LeMan has denied that the cartoon was intended as a portrayal of the Prophet.
Turkey Detains Journalists Over Controversial Cartoon of Prophet Muhammad
Turkey Detains Journalists Over Controversial Cartoon of Prophet Muhammad
Turkey arrests four journalists of LeMan magazine after backlash over a cartoon perceived to depict Prophet Muhammad, leading to protests and police intervention.
In response to the situation, protests erupted in Istanbul where demonstrators voiced their anger outside the magazine’s headquarters, chanting for retaliation. Riot police responded with rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Turkey's justice minister announced that an investigation has been launched for "publicly insulting religious values," reinforcing the government's stance on protecting religious sentiments.
LeMan issued a statement asserting their intention was misinterpreted, emphasizing the cartoon aimed to highlight the plight of oppressed Muslim peoples rather than to insult religious figures. The editor-in-chief, Tuncay Akgun, who is currently in Paris, expressed concern regarding the potential escalation of violence reminiscent of past incidents involving cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, notably the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack in France.
The controversy continues to unfold as public reactions escalate in Turkey, underlining the heightened sensitivities around religious representations within the country’s socio-political climate.
LeMan issued a statement asserting their intention was misinterpreted, emphasizing the cartoon aimed to highlight the plight of oppressed Muslim peoples rather than to insult religious figures. The editor-in-chief, Tuncay Akgun, who is currently in Paris, expressed concern regarding the potential escalation of violence reminiscent of past incidents involving cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, notably the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack in France.
The controversy continues to unfold as public reactions escalate in Turkey, underlining the heightened sensitivities around religious representations within the country’s socio-political climate.
